


No... I'm Pretty Sure You're Him

by bluejay_sunflower (orphan_account)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, I mean it can be sokka/zuko, If you want - Freeform, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Post-Canon, Post-War, no beta we die like men, or is it Li, please go easy this is my first one, tea server Lee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:22:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25471588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/bluejay_sunflower
Summary: Burnt-out, Zuko goes to The Jasmine Dragon to wind down. As the customers start to recognize their tea sever as the new Fire Lord, he comes up with more and more ridiculous excuses, until his cover is completely blown.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 226





	No... I'm Pretty Sure You're Him

**Author's Note:**

> I read a prompt a while ago that is kind of like this, so if anybody knows it please tell me so I can give some credit.

Zuko is going to burn out, and soon. He tries his best to keep an emotionless face as General Xe of the Earth Kingdom talks some rather strong words about Zuko’s various proposals. Clearly he likes the sound of his own voice, as nobody has been able to get more than two words in for the past half-hour. Finally, he’s had enough and stands up abruptly. The various noblemen look up expectantly, with confusion evident in their faces. 

Zuko fumbles for words, “Ahem, uh, I think this meeting has gone a little too far overtime and I would recommend reconvening at a later time. I have another meeting in which I need to attend, but thank you all for your time.”

There’s not another meeting for an hour, his people schedule them far apart, knowing these meetings often run late, but he’s tired, and feels exhaustion creeping into his bones. As the men begin to slowly file out, Zuko’s posture begins to relax, and eventually he rises from his throne and seeks out his favorite guard, Ilzu, and whispers the familiar words,

“Cover for me.”

She nods, shoots Zuko a small smile, and returns to her stoic pose guarding the throne room. This is why Ilzu’s his favorite, she gets it, and has a way with words to convince the rest of his staff that it’s fine and the Fire Lord will be back in no time. Now, all there is left to do is pack a bag for Ba Sing Se.

~~~

Being Ambassador of the Water Tribe isn’t as busy as you might think. Sure, there’s always work to do, but it’s the kind of work that you do in two hours and then have the rest of the day off. One of the upsides of his line of work is that it can be done remotely, which means when Iroh’s hawk arrives inviting him to The Jasmine Dragon, there really isn’t any reason not to go. So now he finds himself here, in the heart of Ba Sing Se, working alongside one of his favorite people.

He’s enjoying it much more than he expected. Most people already know that he’s a people person, but he figured that serving Upper Ring customers would get to him. Turns out that they’re not so snobby. Of course there are those few that come along with customer service that are rude for seemingly no reason, but Sokka’s learned to let it roll off his back, and focus more on the people like Wo, who sits two tables over. She’s a regular, who always thanks him with a smile as he sets down her ginseng tea, and leaves a tip that only an Upper Ring citizen can get away with.

The first time Uncle Iroh (he _insisted _that Sokka call him Uncle) told him Zuko would be coming, Sokka was happy, of course, but a little confused. Doesn’t he have important Fire Lord duties? Isn’t he worried about being recognized? Why is he even coming in the first place?__

____

____

The last question is immediately answered when Zuko walks in. His shoulders are slumped, eyes sunken in, and is the picture of exhaustion. The only thing that makes him look better is the way he perks up the moment he sets his eyes on Uncle. He rushes forwards, and collapses in his arms. It almost looks as if he’s about to cry. 

Sokka watches the exchange and almost wants to melt. Zuko looks so frail, and he instantly gets why he’s here. Sokka has no doubt he would’ve broken if left much longer. 

Uncle seems to have the same reaction, and leans back from the hug with his hands on either side of Zuko’s face and just looks at him with so much fondness and a look only Uncle could give.

Tearing his eyes away, Zuko notices Sokka, and encases him in a hug too. Sokka is surprised; Zuko isn’t one to give hugs out very freely, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to sink into it and hug back as hard as he can.

~~~

Sokka almost laughs as Zuko enters in his uniform. He’s braided his hair, securing it with a green ribbon that matches the Earth Kingdom greens and browns of his uniform. He looks a little… sheepish? This is definitely a different side of him.

Not one to make him feel self conscious, Sokka drags him into the kitchen to explain how Uncle changed the stock room since he was last here. Zuko looks a little dazed, but keeps nodding his head, taking in every word.

At first Sokka has him work in the back to just make the tea and prepare pastries for the customers, but Uncle has other ideas and sends him to the front, saying he needs the interactions.

“But are you sure Uncle? I haven’t talked to anyone who isn’t some form of royalty for almost a year! What if they hate me? What if I drive off your loyal customers?”

Uncle hushed him and told him what a ridiculous notion that was.

“If they don’t like my nephew then they have no business here.”

Zuko gave a small smile before heading out with a tray holding a cup of jasmine and an apple fritter.

~~~

Sokka is surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Zuko seemed surprised it happened at all.

“Hey, aren’t you the Fire Lord?”

Sokka pokes his head out of the kitchen. This should be good.

Zuko seems to freeze, clearly taken off guard. The customer (not a regular, Sokka notes) looks at him expectantly. After an excruciatingly silent 30 seconds, Zuko just dumbly replies,

“Uhhhh, no.”

Sokka turns away, snickering, just as Zuko bursts through the door, frantic.

“Sokka, did you see that! How did he know! I’m wearing Earth Kingdom colors and even braided my hair and everything! I look nothing like I normally do! How did he figure it out?!”

Sokka thought to himself for a moment. Should he tell him? There was of course the possibility of embarrassing him and making him feel even more self conscious, but even more importantly, there was the perfect opportunity to see how Zuko reacts each time.

“I really don’t know Zuko, maybe he’s seen you one time in passing and it suuuuper good at remembering faces. I say just brush it off, don’t worry about it.”

Zuko looks like he is _absolutely_ going to worry about it, but Sokka doesn’t stick around to hear what he has to say.

~~~

Of course it keeps happening. Again and again and again. Definitely the best form of entertainment Sokka has had in a long time. The responses gradually keep getting better too.

“Hey! You’re the Fire Lord, aren’t you?”

“No, he’s in Caldera I’m pretty sure.”

He comes back with an alarmed look on his face, but Sokka gives him a wave of his hand, as if to say “don’t worry about it”, and sends him back out with another order.

“Wait… you’re the Fire Lord! Zuko, right?”

“Uh, no. Actually I’m pretty sure I heard he’s with the Avatar right now.”

“Excuse me for asking, but aren’t you the Fire Lord?”

“You know I’m not sure why people keep saying that, I think it’s the nose or something.”

The responses come quicker and quicker, now flowing out of his mouth without missing a beat. Sokka is kind of proud, not that he’d ever tell anyone.

“Sorry, but I have to ask. Are you Fire Lord Zuko?”

“No, his scar is on the other side.”

If Zuko heard a snort from the back, he didn’t mention it.

~~~

Sokka is trying to convince Zuko that boomerangs are the most respectable weapons when he hears the tell-tale stomping and yelling of Toph’s voice. Zuko hears it too, and they both poke their heads out.

Toph slams open the door, making Sokka wince because he’s pretty sure she broke it.

“Sparky! I really thought I wouldn’t, but I kind of missed you, maybe”

Zuko’s eyes (or rather eye) widens, but the customers don’t really catch on that Sparky = Fire Lord Zuko. That was short lived, however, as Aang is next to show up in the doorway.

“Zuko! Zuko Zuko Zuko I missed you so much!”

He basically flies across the room and is on Zuko like a Koala-possum. Zuko hugs back, but stiffly because now every eye is on him because 1) It’s obviously the Avatar that’s on him, and 2) Aang said his name too many times to miss that it’s clearly Zuko. Aang does _not _know when to shut up, though, because the next thing out of his mouth is even _worse _.____

_____ _

_____ _

“I thought you had Fire Lord things to do? Don’t you have royal things to announce or something?”

Zuko groans, and peels the kid off of him. Gasps are heard from the shop. Sometimes he was _this close _to slapping some sense into this guy.__

____

____

“How about we go in the back?” He grits out, seeing Katara enter too.

The moment they are all away from the prying eyes of the customers, Sokka laughs harder than he had in a long time, maybe in his life. Everyone looks at him like he had finally lost it, and maybe he had, but there was no way he could stop it now. His laughter only starts to slow down when he sees Zuko’s glare.

“Uh, somebody want to explain?” Katara asks.

Sokka jumps into it, explaining everything from the customers who ask about Zuko to Zuko's increasingly bizarre answers. Toph looks like this is the best day of her life, while Zuko is looking visibly much paler than he had a few minutes ago.

“So you mean to tell me," Zuko hisses, "that it was obvious this whole time?”

“Yep” Sokka responds, popping the p.

Zuko looks ready to strangle him.

“Well I guess I should be heading back anyways, since _my cover was blown! _”__

____

____

Aang perks up at this.

“We’ll take you back on Appa! It’ll be just like old times!”

Sokka looks at Toph just in time to see an evil glint in her eye. Before he has time to ask what she’s thinking, she just throws the protesting Fire lord over her shoulder.

“Great idea, Twikletoes!”

Everyone looks on, horrified as she parades him through the shop, every single eye on him.

“Good to have you, Zuko!”

They look back to see Uncle grinning, waving his hand like he expected this to happen. Maybe he had.

As the rest of the Gaang climbs onto the saddle, Zuko’s entire face is red, and he looks like he’s torn between being angry and embarrassed. Somehow he looks like he’s both.

Everyone sits silently for a moment, then bursts out laughing. Hesitantly, Zuko joins in.

~~~

Uncle smiles as he stands at the front of his tea shop, listening to their laughter continue until they’re out of sight.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know much about what ambassador duties entail so I kind of made it up to fit this so sorry if it's totally wrong but I'm not changing it.


End file.
